(5) PSALM 51COMING BACK TO HIM 2 Sam11 and 12

This psalm is not about initial conversion to God, but about the experience of restoration to him after falling into sin. (The background is generally understood to be David’s experience recorded in 2 Samuel 11 and 12). Even the best of us has a fickle heart and needs to ‘watch our steps’. ‘Perverse and foolish oft we stray’, like sheep we turn all too readily to our own way. But if repentance is real, there is always a way back because the Lord is a God of grace. "He restores my soul’! This psalm provides the acid test of true heartfelt repentance and naked faith in the mercy and grace of God.

Four things are necessary for spiritual restoration:

• A REALISATION OF GUILT
• THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF SIN
• How does David in this prayer to God show he has come to a clear and deep consciousness of his awful guilt?

(- trace every sign in the Psalm that reveals how deep his sense of sinfulness was, and how genuine his repentance was)

• THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN
• David has realised that his sin has far reaching consequences. How is this

 revealed in the psalm? What realised consequences can you trace in his prayer?

• AN UNDERSTANDING OF GOD

(1) AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT GOD REQUIRES

• Where in this psalm does David reveal that he knows what the Lord requires of

 him (and us)?

• What qualities does he require?

• AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHO GOD IS
• How does this psalm reveal David’s understanding of God?

 What important things about God does this prayer reveal?

 Why are they such vital things?

• A LONGING FOR GOOD
• David is conscious of having lost some good things through his sin. What good things does he long to recover?

How deep is his longing?

• How vital a part of repentance and restoration is this sense of loss and longing to regain?

• A GRASP OF GRACE

To enter into full forgiveness and restoration we need something more than the deep realisation of our sinfulness. We need a firm grasp of and faith in God’s mercy and grace.

DEFINITIONS:

To receive ‘mercy’ is to be let off the bad things our actions deserve. To receive ‘grace’ is to (in addition) have bestowed on us good things we most certainly don’t deserve.

• To what does David appeal in this prayer to God for restoration? (That is, on what grounds does he dare to ask for forgiveness? What grounds does he not appeal on?)

How important is this?

• Taking the above definitions differentiating ‘mercy’ and ‘grace’, can you trace in this Psalm where David is appealing to ‘God’s mercy’ and where he goes even further and asks for ‘grace’?

CONCLUSION:GRATITUDE! Can you find in this psalm indications of the way David envisages his gratitude for restoration will manifest itself to God’s glory?